Tape reconditioning apparatus



Jan. 12, 1960 cuNNlNGHAM ETAL 2,920,678

TAPE RECONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1956 S 8 RM Y m m MG w R EV? m m WNR f N A U 0% K & B U Q mm HJM United States Patent 2,920,678TAPE RECONDITIONING' APPARATUS Harry L. Cunningham and Jacques KoeckesOxnard, Calif.

Application April 16, 1956, Serial No. 578,337

4 Claims. (Cl. 15393) This invention relates generally to tapereconditioning, and more particularly to an improved apparatus forstraightening metallic fishing tape so that it may be reused.

Conventional fishing tape generally comprises an elongated metallicstrip having relatively stifl characteristics such that it may be pushedthrough a conduit without buckling. For example, in electrical work whenit is desired to pass an electrical conductor through a conduit, one endof the conductor is secured to the fishing tape and the tape is thenpushed through and about the corners or curves of the conduit. When thefree end of the tape emerges from the other end of the conduit, it maythen be used to pull the conductor through. Such tape may also be usedby plumbers and similar workers for fishing obstacles out of crookedpipes and conduits.

After a fishing tape has been used one or two times, it develops severalcrimps and unwieldly bends and curves. The stiffness of the tape rendersit difiicult to manual straightening and it has been conventionalpractice, therefore, to simply scrap the fishing tape and use a freshstraight tape for a subsequent job. This practice is not only costly butrequires that a large number of spare tapes be readily available.

Bearing the above factors in mind, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide a simple mechanical apparatusfor enabling plumbers,electricians, and the like to straighten crooked tapes whereby they maybe re-used with the attendant cost savings advantage.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the above type which may beadjusted to adapt it to a particular tape stiffness.

A more general object of the invention is to provide an improved tapestraightening structure which is rugged, simple and may be readilyoperated by unskilled personnel.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention areattained by providing a mounting plate supporting pairs of tapesstraightening rollers arranged in tandem. Each pair of tandem rollersengages one side of the tape at spaced longitudinal points and hasassociated with it a bearing element positionable to engage the oppositeside of the tape at a point intermedia e the spaced points whereby africtional pressure may be applied bythe bearing element to the tape.The two pairs of tape straightening rollers are longitudinally andlaterally displaced so that opposite sides of the tape are treated in anidentical manner and any constant radius of curvature imparted to thetape by one set of tape straightening rollers and bearing element willbe corrected by the second set of tape straightening rollers.Additionally, suitable guide rollers are positioned at uniformly spacedlongitudinal points for guiding the tape in a relatively straight linethrough the apparatus.

A better understanding of a preferred embodiment of the invention willbe had by referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tape straightening device of thisinvention;

Figure 2 is a cross section of one pair of guide rollers taken in thedirection of the arrows 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is another cross section of one of the tapestraighteningrollers taken in the direction of the arrows 33 of Figure l; and,

Figure 4 is a greatly enlarged elevational view of one pair of tapestraightening rollers and the associated bear ing element taken in thedirection of the arrow 4 of Figure 3. I

Referring to Figure l, the tape straightening apparatus comprises amounting plate 10 which may be secured to a wall or the side of avehicle such as a truck. As shown, the plate 10 supports three pairs ofguide rollers 11 longitudinally spaced along the horizontal center lineof the plate. These guide rollers serve to guide a tape 12 which may bemanually or otherwise pulled through the apparatus past the face of theplate 10.

Interposed between the two outer pairs of guide rollers 11 and on eitherside of the central pair of guide rollers, are first and second pairs oftape straightening rollers 13 and 14. The rollers 13 in the first pairare arranged in tandem to engage one side of the tape 12 at spacedlongitudinal points. A bearing element 15 is adjustably positioned onthe plate 10 to engage the oppo site side of the tape 12 at a locationintermediate points at which the rollers 13 engage the tape. As shown,the bearing element 15 is rigidly secured to the end of a bolt 16passing through an apertured support block 17 secured to the plate 10 asby screws or bolts 18. ,Bolt 16 is provided with a head 19 and is biasedin a'direction away from the tape by a spring 20 positioned between thebolt head 19 and the bottom of the support block 17. A nut 21 isthreaded on the portion of the bolt 16 above the support block 17whereby rotation of the nut will serve to vary the distance of thebearing element 15 from the tape 12. The coil spring 20 maintains thenut 21 in pressing engagement with the upper surface of the supportblock 17.

Similarly, a second bearing element 22 is positioned on the side of thetape 12 opposite from the side engaged by the tape straightening rollers14. Bearing element 22 is rigidly secured to a bolt 23 passing upwardlythrough an apertured support block 24 secured by screws25 to the plate10. Bolt 23 is provided with a head 26 similar to the head 19 on'thebolt 16, and a compression spring 27 between the bolt head 26 and theupper surface of the support block 24 to bias the bearing element 22 inan upward direction away from the tape 12. A nut 28 is threaded to thebolt 23 to bear against the lower surface of the support block 24 as aresult of the action of the coil spring 27. Rotative'adjustment of thethreaded nut 28 will accordingly adjust the distance of the bearingelement 22 from the tape 12.

Referring to the cross section shown in Figure 2, it will be noted thateach of the guide rollers 11 is provided with a peripheral groove of awidth to accommodate the tape 12 whereby the tape 12 is prevented fromsliding from between the rollers by the sides'of the.

each provided with peripheral grooves such as groove 30,

illustrated in Figure 4. These grooves are of a width suflicient toaccommodate the tape 12 and of a depth preferably equal to the thicknessof the tape or at least,

of suflicient extent to prevent the tape'from laterally being displacedfrom the rollers.

. Referring now particularly to Figure 4, it will be noted I that eachof the bearing elements, such as the bearing element 15, comprises ablock having its opposite sides sloping towards each other" to terminatein a rounded edge 31'. The ed'ge"31 has-a lengthat lea'st' as greatasthe width of the tape 12 whereby thetape is transversely engagedacross-its entire width by: the bearing. element. As will be clear fromFigure 4, the bearingelement is preferably positioned to provideanupward pressure on the tape 12 as it passes under the rollers13, sothat a slight bow of constant radius of curvature will be imparted tothetape. Thisupward pressure of the bearing element will serve tostraighten out all kinks and curves in the tape 12 whose radius ofcurvatureextends in an opposite direction to that imparted by thebearing element 15.

The actionof the tape straightening rollers 14 and bearing element 22 issimilar exceptthat the pressure is oppositely directed. Therefore, theconstant radius ofcurvature imparted by the'bearing element 15and'rollers 13 isstraightened as well as anycurves or crimps whoseradius of curvature extends in the same direction as the radius ofcurvature imparted by the rollers 13 andbearing element 15.

The operation of the overall tape. straightening device will be evidentfrom the above description. The crooked tape 12 is first passed throughthe guide rollers and urged towards the tape straightening rollers 13,through the central guide rollers, past the tape straighteningrollersld,

and out between the last pair of outer guide. rollers 11' as shown. Whenthe crooked tape isinitially insertedin the apparatus, the bearingelements 15v and 22 may be retracted by threading of the nuts 21 and 28in. the proper direction respectively, so that sufficient space isprovided to facilitate insertion of the tape. The bearing elements 15and 22 are then respectively raised and lowered such that they engageoppositesides of the tape.

Referring particularly to Figure 4 the adjustment of the bearing element15 is such that'the upper bearing edge of the element will intersect astraight line connecting the two longitudinally spaced points on thetape 12 engaged by the tandem rollers 13. By this arrangement, africtional pressure will be applied to the underside of the tape by thebearing element 15 as the tape .passes, under the rollers 13. Thebearing element 22 isasimilarly positioned to intersect the straightline connecting.

the engagement points of the tandem rollers 14. With the bearingelements 15 and 22 adjusted as described, the

tape 12 is then pulled through the apparatus by any suitable means.

As the tape is drawn over the bearing element 15, a

constant radius of curvature will be imparted to thextape dependent uponthe position of the bearing edge of the element 15 with respect to thestraight line connecting the points of engagement of the tape by therollers 13. The frictional pressure imparted to the underside of thetape during this movement is such as to straighten out any kinks orbends in the tape whose radius of curvature extends in an oppositedirection as previously ,described. ABy subsequently passing the tapethrough the second straightening rollers 141andseeond bearing element22, an opposite radiusof curvature is imparted to tape whichcompensatesfor' the'initially imparted radius of curvature, such thatthe tape 12, in. emerging from the outer'set of guiderollers: 1,:issubstantially rectilinear.

It has been found that the use of'the tapered lbea'ring elements 15 and22 in frictional pressure engagement with opposite sides of the,tapeatspaced :points as'described, serves to straighten :fishingtapesmore effectively than any meansknown' heretofore.

It is to be noted that the bearing elements 15 and '22 maybeindependently adjusted. By'such an arrangement, itis possible to adaptthe tapestraightening apparatus to particular tapes depending upon theirstifinessl For example, if a tape is relatively=stifi-andintlexiblewhereby only a slight bending; will cause a -permanent :set,it

I tend to spring it back towards arectilinear position.

would be desirable to adjust the bearing element 15 such that itsbearing edge 31 is spaced at or just below the line connecting thepoints of engagement by the rollers 13. By this adjustment a relativelysmall bend is imparted to the tape. The bearing element 22, on the otherhand, would be positioned even further from the line connecting thepoints of contact of the rollers 14 in order that the. reversebendwould. be just sufficient to straighten the tape and not causeapermanent constant radius of curvature bend tooccur in the DPP Sitedirection. In other words, for a relatively stiff tape it is desirablethat the bearing elemcnt.15 be positioned to impart a greater bend thanthe element 22, assuming that the tape is moving from left toright'asviewed in:Fi'gure 1.

- For a relatively flexible tape, on the other hand, in which arelatively large bend is necessary in order to make a permanent set toremove a crooked portion, the bearing elements 15 and 22- should becorrespondingly positioned closer to, and preferably beyond the straightline connecting the points at which the tape straightening rollersengage the tape. Thus, while a relatively large curvature will beimparted, the flexibility of the tape will The permanent set acquired bythe tape, however, will be such that proper straightening will result.

The entire apparatus is rugged and simple in construction and may bereadily operated byunskilled personnel.

Modifications within the scope and spirit of the present invention willoccur to those skilled in the art. The apparatus is, therefore, not tobe thought of as limited to the specific embodiment shown and describedfor illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. A tape reconditioning apparatus for straightening a crooked tapecomprising, in combination: a mounting plate; a first pair of rollerssecured in tandem to said plate for engaging one side of said tape atspaced points; a second pair of rollers secured in tandem to said plate.for engaging the opposite side of said tape. at spaced points; saidsecond pair of rollers being longitudinally and laterally spaced fromsaid first pair of rollers; first and second bearing elements associatedwith said first and second pairs of rollers respectively; each ofsaid-first and second bearing elements comprising a block havingopposite sides tapering together to terminate in an elongated roundededge having a length at least equal to the width of said tape so thatsaid tape is subjected to frictional pressure on opposite sides by saidbearing element edges respectively; means supporting said bearingelements to said plate in position to engage the sidesof said tapeopposite the sides engaged by corresponding rollers atpointsbetween saidspaced points respectively; and means for independently adjusting thedistances between said bearingelements and straight lines connectingsaid spaced points respectively whereby the degree of pressure appliedto said tape by said bearing elements may be varied and a constantradius bend, imparted to said tape by said first rollers and hearingelement, may be straightened by said second rollers and bearing element.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, includingmeans for guiding saidtape past said first and second pairs of rollers.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, in which said means comprises twoouter pairs of guiderollers and one central pair of guide rollers, eachpair of guide rollers engaging opposite sides of said tape and beingsecured'to said plate'in longitudinally uniformlyspaced relationship, saidfirst and second pairs of rollers being positioned on either side,respectively, of said central pair of guide rollers between said outerpairs.

-4. An apparatus accordingtoclaim 3 inwhich each of said guide rollersand each of said pairs of rollers in tandem are provided with peripheralgrooves of width 5 6 suflieient to accommodate the width of said tapewhereby 2,148,357 Johnson Feb. 21, 1939 said tape is prevented fromlateral movement from said 2,180,879 McFadden Nov. 21, 1939 guiderollers and from said pairs of rollers in tandem- 2,275,095 Thaden Mar.3, 1942 2,303, d 4, 1 42 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 2355 22; FXY,; 3 1034059 B EIZnSTATES PATENTSIUI 30 1912 FOREIGN PATENTSy 368,488 Great Britain Mar. 10, 1932 1,206,184 Welsh Nov. 28, 1916

